Veterinary research in horses encompasses the study of diseases, health management, and medical treatments specific to equine species. This field investigates various aspects of horse health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Researchers focus on understanding the pathophysiology of equine ailments, developing diagnostic tools, and evaluating therapeutic interventions. The study of horse health also involves examining preventive measures such as vaccination protocols and nutritional management to promote overall well-being. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse areas of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into disease mechanisms, treatment strategies, and advancements in equine healthcare.
Oberste MS, Schmura SM, Weaver SC, Smith JF.Phylogenetic analysis of 20 strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus subtype IE isolated from 1961 to 1996 in Mexico and throughout Central America showed that VEE virus subtype IE was monophyletic with respect to other VEE virus subtypes. Nonetheless, there were at least three distinct geographically separated VEE virus IE genotypes: northwestern Panama, Pacific coast (Mexico/Guatemala), and Gulf/Caribbean coast (Mexico/Belize). Strains from the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua may cluster with the Gulf/Caribbean genotype, but additional isolates from the reg...
Lindsay DS, Dubey JP.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic syndrome in horses from the Americas and is usually caused by infection with the apicomplexan parasite, Sarcocystis neurona. The activities of pyrimethamine, trimethoprim, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, and sulfathiazole were examined against developing S. neurona merozoites in bovine turbinate cell cultures. A microtiter plate host cell lesion based assay was used to determine the effects of agents on developing merozoites. A cell culture flask assay was used to determine if sele...
Timney B, Keil K.Although horses have laterally-placed eyes, there is substantial binocular overlap, allowing for the possibility that these animals have stereopsis. In the first experiment of the present study we measured local stereopsis by obtaining monocular and binocular depth thresholds for renal depth stimuli. On all measures, the horses' binocular performance was superior to their monocular. When depth thresholds were obtained, binocular thresholds were several times superior to those obtained monocularly, suggesting that the animals could use stereoscopic information when it was available. The binocul...
van Ittersum AR, van Buiten A.Mares with a large vulvar orifice have an increased risk of pneumovagina, which is associated with reduced fertility. Treatment is by means of the Caslick operation, by which size of the vulvar orifice is reduced. Factors that influence the occurrence of pneumovagina are the age and fertility status of the mare. In this study the risk factors for pneumovagina and the effect of the Caslick operation on fertility were investigated. In 1994, 1995, and 1996 a total of 967 mares were sent for service at a stud. Of these mares, 116 underwent a Caslick operation. The operated mares were older than th...
Behrendt-Adam CY, Adams MH, Simpson KS, McDowell KJ.A positive-feedback loop between luteal oxytocin and uterine prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF) is a major signal for luteolysis in ruminants. Likewise, uterine PGF causes luteolysis in mares, but the involvement of oxytocin in this process is unclear. We wanted: 1) to determine if the oxytocin-neurophysin I (OT-NP I) gene is transcribed into mRNA in the endometrium of mares; and, if so, 2) to analyze relative changes in abundance of endometrial OT-NP I mRNA throughout the estrous cycle and during early stages of pregnancy. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from nonbred mares during estrus, and 5, ...
Scocco P, Menghi G, Ceccarelli P, Pedini V.This study was aimed at characterizing the glycoconjugates produced by the horse sublingual gland and, in particular, at discriminating between the sialoderivatives by means of differential oxidation and saponification combined with lectin histochemistry and enzymatic degradation. The results showed a predominance of sialoglycoconjugates with beta-galactose as acceptor sugar in the salivary mucins produced by the sublingual gland. Besides being the most represented terminal residue, sialic acid was also expressed in a great variety of derivatives distinguishable on the basis of acceptor sugars...
Hess S, Gulati R, Peluso JJ.The present studies showed that sequential treatment with equine CG (eCG) and hCG not only induced an increase in ovarian weight, but also caused an estimated 4.6-fold increase in the number of ovarian surface epithelial cells. In addition, eCG-hCG treatment increased ovarian hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) messenger RNA levels. These studies also demonstrated that rat primary ovarian surface epithelial cells as well as a cell line derived from rat ovarian surface epithelium (i.e. ROSE-179 cells) do not express the LH (hCG) receptor. Both of these cells express c-Met, the receptor for HGF. To a...
House JK, Mainar-Jaime RC, Smith BP, House AM, Kamiya DY.To identify risk factors for nosocomial Salmonella infections among hospitalized horses. Methods: Longitudinal study. Methods: 1,583 horses hospitalized in an intensive care unit between January 1992 and June 1996. Methods: Survivor functions were used to estimate time to shedding salmonellae for various Salmonella serotypes. Survival analysis was then used to determine how variables associated with patient management, environmental conditions, hospital conditions, and other disease processes affected the risk of nosocomial Salmonella infection. Results: 78 horses shed Salmonella organisms: 35...
Scott EA, Heidel JR, Snyder SP, Ramirez S, Whitler WA.To determine clinical and surgical abnormalities in, and long-term outcome of, horses that undergo surgery because of colic secondary to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 11 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses that had undergone abdominal surgery and in which IBD had been diagnosed on the basis of histologic examination of intestinal biopsy specimens were reviewed. Results: 5 horses were examined because of acute colic and 6 were examined because of chronic colic. At surgery, all 11 horses had edematous or hemorrhagic bowel segments suggestive of I...
Böhnel H.The laboratory diagnosis of C. botulinum is described for cattle and horses in the years 1995-1998. Out of 122 cases 66 were positive. All types of toxins were identified; in cattle mainly types C and D. In 9 cases typing was not conclusive. The results of an enquiry of afflicated animal owners showed, that modern agricultural technology has an important impact on toxinogenesis in feed stuff. Possibilities to prevent the disease and to reduce economic losses are discussed; a solution cannot be presented.
Scott WM, Fowler JD, Matte G, Allen AL, Wilkinson AA, Bailey JV, Fretz PB.To investigate neutrophil accumulation after ischemia and reperfusion (IR) in microvascular tissue flaps in horses. Methods: Randomized controlled experiment. Methods: A total of 8 horses between 1 and 10 years of age, 4 of each sex. Methods: Control and experimental myocutaneous island flaps based on the superficial branch of the deep circumflex iliac vessels were dissected on each horse. Atraumatic vascular clamps were applied to the pedicle of the experimental flap for 90 minutes and then removed to allow reperfusion. Based on the assumption that rapid infiltration of neutrophils into affec...
Ishida N, Katayama Y, Sato F, Hasegawa T, Mukoyama H.The entire cDNA sequences were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques for equine copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) through the use of total RNA extracted from the testis of an adult Thoroughbred. The results revealed a protein coding region for equine Cu/Zn-SOD with bases totaling 465 bp, accompanied by an estimated 154 residues of amino acids. As for equine Mn-SOD, its coding region contained a total of 669 bp and an estimated 222 residues of amino acid...
Aggarwal N, Holmes MA.The aim of this study was to characterise CD4+T-cells in equines, as these cells are pivotal in establishing immune responses or regulating established ones. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a pony immunised with ovalbumin were cultured in vitro in the presence of the specific antigen and autologous antigen presenting cells. During the antigen starvation phase, cells were maintained on recombinant equine IL-2. After 35 days of culture, most of the cells were CD4+, CD8-and sIg-. Cells proliferated specifically in the presence of antigen, as tested on day 42 of culture. These cells were a...
Rungsipipat A, Tateyama S, Yamaguchi R, Uchida K, Miyoshi N.An immunohistochemical study of various visceral organs of normal adult dogs, cats, pigs, horses, cows, and chickens (five of each species) and of 185 spontaneous canine tumours was carried out using paraffin wax sections and a commercially available antibody to the human c- yes oncogene product. Among the adult normal tissues of six animal species, epithelial cells of the proximal and distal renal tubules, the myocardium, hepatocytes, cerebellar Purkinje cells and adrenal cortical cells were positive for c- yes product. Among the foetal tissues of dogs and chickens, a positive reaction was ob...
Hudson NP, Pearson GT, Kitamura N, Mayhew IG.The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are c-kit immunoreactive cells of the gastrointestinal tract which are suggested to have a role in the control of intestinal motility. Cells with c-kit immunoreactivity have not been previously described in the gastrointestinal tract of the horse. Immunoreactivity for c-kit was revealed using immunohistochemical labelling with an anti-c-kit polyclonal antibody. Sections of normal gastrointestinal tissue were examined from 13 anatomically defined sites from stomach to small colon taken from horses free from gastrointestinal disease. Three types of c-kit imm...
Spiess BM, Nyikos S, Stummer E, Sahin A, Naegeli H.To determine concentrations of dexamethasone in serum and urine of horses treated repeatedly with a topically administered ophthalmic dexamethasone preparation. Methods: 4 clinically normal horses (2 mares, 2 geldings). Methods: 0.1% dexamethasone ophthalmic ointment was administered to the left eye of each horse every 5 to 9 hours for 8 consecutive days, yielding an estimated cumulative dexamethasone dose of 6.4 microg/kg of body weight. Serum and urine samples were obtained before the first dexamethasone treatment, on days 4 and 8 of treatment, and 24, 48, and 96 hours after cessation of tre...
Beluche LA, Bertone AL, Anderson DE, Kohn CW, Weisbrode SE.To determine whether enrofloxacin has detrimental, dose-dependent effects on equine articular cartilage in vitro. Methods: Cartilage explants were developed from 6 healthy horses between 0 and 96 months old. Methods: Patellar cartilage explants were incubated in 5 concentrations of enrofloxacin (2 microg/ml, 10 microg/ml, 1,000 microg/ml, 10,000 microg/ml, and 50,000 microg/ml) for 72 hours. Proteoglycan synthesis (Na35SO4 incorporation for 24 hours), proteoglycan degradation (Na35SO4 release for 72 hours), endogenous proteoglycan content (dimethylmethlene blue assay), and total protein conten...
Tomasic M, Nann LE.To examine temporal patterns of rectal, nasal, groin, and skin temperatures measured in adult horses undergoing general anesthesia and to determine accuracy and precision of temperatures at these sites, compared with core temperature. Methods: 5 healthy adult horses. Methods: Induction, maintenance of, and recovery from general anesthesia were performed in an air-conditioned surgical suite. Room temperature and relative humidity were approximately 21 C and 40%, respectively. Anesthesia was maintained for 2.5 hours, and body temperatures were measured and recorded every 5 minutes. Mean values w...
Williams GE, Silverman BW, Wilson AM, Goodship AE.To assess the force plate as a diagnostic aid in equine locomotor abnormalities, particularly for abnormalities such as navicular disease that do not have specific diagnostic criteria. Methods: 17 Thoroughbreds without observable locomotor abnormalities (group A), 6 Thoroughbreds with superficial digital flexor tendon injury (group B), and 8 Thoroughbreds with navicular disease (group C). Methods: Using a force plate, ground reaction force patterns were recorded at the trot. Peak limb vertical force and force/time curve parameters were derived from 4 identifiable points at the beginning and en...
Horohov DW, Dimock A, Guirnalda P, Folsom RW, McKeever KH, Malinowski K.To compare exercise-induced immune modulation in young and older horses. Methods: 6 young and 6 aged horses that were vaccinated against equine influenza virus. Methods: Venous blood samples were collected for immunologic assessment before and immediately after exercise at targeted heart rates and after exercise for determination of plasma lactate and cortisol concentrations. Mononuclear cells were assayed for lymphoproliferative responses and incubated with interleukin-2 (IL-2) to induce lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. Antibodies to equine influenza virus were measured. Results: Olde...
Dixon PM, Head KW.The clinical and pathological findings of 28 cases (27 horses, 1 donkey) of equid sinonasal tumours examined at the Edinburgh Veterinary School are presented and include: seven cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); five adenocarcinomas; three undifferentiated carcinomas; two adenomas; five fibro-osseous and bone tumours; and single cases of ameloblastoma, fibroma, fibrosarcoma, undifferentiated sarcoma, melanoma and lymphosarcoma. The median ages of animals affected with epithelial, and fibro-osseous/bone tumours were 14 and 4 years, respectively. Unilateral purulent or mucopurulent nasal di...
Epe C, Woidtke S, Pape M, Heise M, Kraemer F, Kohlmetz C, Schnieder T.Two groups of 10 first-year grazing cattle were either left untreated as controls (group 1) or treated with eprinomectin as a pour-on application at turnout and eight weeks later (group 2). The control group developed a mild infection with gastrointestinal nematodes and lungworms during the season, whereas the treated animals remained healthy. The interval between the treatments allowed the establishment of adult worms, but the egg counts remained negligible. The total number of eggs shed by the treated cattle during the grazing season was significantly smaller than by the controls.
Raudsepp T, Chowdhary BP.A pilot study comparing horse and donkey karyotypes on a molecular basis was initiated using the chromosomal microdissection approach. All equine meta- and submetacentric chromosomes, viz. ECA1 to ECA13 and the X and Y chromosomes, were microdissected. The DNA was PCR amplified, non-radioactively labelled and used as probes on equine metaphase chromosomes to confirm their origin. Once tested, the paints were used as probes on donkey metaphase chromosomes to detect homologous chromosomal segments between the two species. The results not only detected conservation of whole chromosome and/or arm ...
Jones CJ, Enders AC, Wooding FP, Dantzer V, Leiser R, Stoddart RW.Using lectin histochemistry on plastic-embedded material, the glycosylation patterns of equine girdle and cup cells, and associated endometrial glands, have been investigated from 37 to 67 days gestation. Results were compared with the glycosylation of the 50-day allantochorionic trophoblast of the established equine placenta that will later form the microcotyledons. The differentiated cup cells, which secrete equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), showed a pattern of glycosylation that was distinct both from the progenitor girdle cells and the allantochorionic trophoblast, with granules that bo...
Proudman CJ, Trees AJ.Until recently, the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata was difficult to diagnose and considered to be of questionable pathogenicity. Here, Chris Proudman and Sandy Trees describe recent advances in the immunodiagnosis of this parasite that have facilitated epidemiological studies. These studies suggest that A. perfoliata may be an important cause of intestinal disease in the horse and demonstrate a dose-response relationship between infection intensity and risk of disease. If tapeworm infection is a risk factor for ileocaecal colic, the identification and treatment of infected individual...
van Weeren PR, Morales JA, Rodríguez LL, Cedeño H, Villalobos J, Poveda LJ.This article describes a case of massive mortality among horses which was probably due to intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium indicum. Over 4 years more than 75% of a population of about 110 horses on a farm in Costa Rica died after showing nervous neurological symptoms. Two clinical manifestations were encountered, an acute and a chronic one, both with a fatal outcome. Pathological findings in 2 horses coincided with those reported in the literature for intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids and were not specific for VEE. However Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) was...
Martinelli M.Digitization of clinical data is becoming increasingly important in veterinary medicine. Current veterinary applications range from digital cameras to computed radiography. The opportunity for increased productivity and diagnostic capabilities makes the computerization of veterinary medicine especially exciting. Future trends seem to indicate that more veterinarians should have better technology available in their practices and more veterinarians should be connected to experts, clients, and each other.
Traub-Dargatz JL, Schultheiss PC, Kiper ML, Stashak TS, Wrigley R, Schlipf J, Applehans FM.Fibrosis of the small intestine led to recurrent colic and weight loss in 2 ponies and 5 horses. There was a reduction in the length of the small intestine to one-half normal in horses 4 to 7. Histologic examination revealed substantial small intestinal submucosal fibrosis and arteriole sclerosis. The cause was not determined, but an environmental factor was suspected because 3 horses were from the same farm and the other animals were from within a 10-mile radius of the farm. The submucosal fibrosis appeared to be secondary to sclerosis of arterioles in the submucosa and mesentery, with low bl...
Swerczek TW.Small but significant numbers of primary and secondary spermatocytes and spermatids have been observed in the semen of some Thoroughbred stallions. Extensive histological examination of the testes of affected animals has not been undertaken but in one young stallion which died as the result of a leg injury, the premature dehiscence of these cells seemed to be related to segmental defects within the seminiferous tubules. The causes of lesions leading to premature shedding of germ cells are discussed.
McGuirk SM, Muir WW, Sams RA.A pharmacokinetic study was made, using 7 healthy adult horses (weighing between 400 and 560 kg) given quinidine gluconate IV and quinidine sulfate orally. The apparent volume of distribution of quinidine base was 3.10 +/- 0.79 L/kg, total body clearance was 5.49 +/- 2.40 ml/minute/kg, and plasma half-life was 6.65 +/- 3.00 hours. The systemic availability of quinidine sulfate after oral administration of a 10 mg/kg dose was 48.5 +/- 20.4%. Oral administrations of quinidine sulfate in doses of 10 mg/kg and 10 g produced peak plasma concentrations of 0.79 microgram/ml at 146 minutes and 1.47 mi...
Carnet F, Paillot R, Fortier C, Hue ES, Briot L, de Geoffroy F, Vidalain PO, Pronost S.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is responsible for recurring outbreaks that are detrimental to the equine industry. Vaccination is key for prevention, but the effectiveness and duration of protection provided by existing vaccines is often insufficient. In order to improve vaccine efficacy, we evaluated the benefit of immune stimulation with inactivated Parapoxvirus ovis (iPPVO) on the antibody response induced by a vaccine boost against EIV. A whole inactivated ISCOMatrix-adjuvanted equine influenza vaccine was administered alone ( = 10) or combined with iPPVO injections at D0, D2 and D4 post vac...
Bunton TE.Developmental defects are rarely reported in the horse. Severe craniofacial and central nervous system defects in an equine foetus are described and their possible causation and pathogenesis are suggested.
Lazary S, Gerber H, de Weck AL, Arnold P.A new, non-MHC linked alloantigenic membrane antigen on the equine lymphocytes is described. This antigen was characterized with alloantisera in the two-stage microcytotoxicity test and designated as ELy-1 antigen. The frequency of ELy-1 antigen positive animals in various populations is close to 50%. ELy-1 shows an autosomal, dominant inheritance. Since an allelic antigen (s) could not be demonstrated in family studies, it is assumed that only two alleles ELy-1+ and ELy-1- exist. The ELy-1 antigen in positive animals is expressed on both T and B lymphocytes but it is not present on erythrocyt...
Hamilton MJ, Hughes IM, Hegreberg GA.Serum testosterone levels were measured in normal young male horses (29 to 34 weeks old). No differences were found between gelded and intact males. The values for all the horses were low. On the basis of their testosterone levels, all the horses were prepubertal.
Okada T, Yuguchi K, Kiso Y, Morikawa Y, Nambo Y, Oikawa M, Sasaki F.The pars intermedia of the pituitary gland, and plasma ACTH and cortisol levels in the pony, which was first diagnosed in Japan as indicating equine Cushing's disease, were examined by immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The pars intermedia was greatly enlarged and most of its cells were immunoreactive for antisera to both adenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and beta-endorphin (beta-End). The plasma ACTH level was elevated when clinical symptoms appeared. The present results reveal that equine Cushing's disease in this pony was induced by the hypersecretion of ACTH and beta-...
Harvey CE.Dental procedures have been performed on animals, particularly horses, since earliest recorded history. In the absence of anesthesia and an understanding of physiology and pathology, treatment often was unnecessary, inappropriate or barbaric. Progress was made very slowly.
Razavizadeh AT, Mashhadi AG, Paphan AA.An observational field study was performed on a well-know purebred horses in Iran (Khozestan-Arab horse). The study was conducted on 105 apparently healthy horses. To find the prevalence of cardiac dysrhythmias in different sexes and ages, the horses were divided into 2 sexes (63 females and 42 males) and three age groups (0-4, 4-8, > 8 years old). After taking the history and performing clinical examination, ECG was obtained on a base apex lead system with the paper speed of 25 mm sec(-1) and sensitivity of 10 or 5 mm mv(-1) at rest. The electrocardiograms were evaluated according to the crit...
Foglesong MA.The antibiotic activity of cephalothin, cephaloridine, cephalexin, cephaloglycin, cefazolin, and cefamandole was determined after storage for up to 30 days in horse serum at -10 and 4 degrees C. Cephalothin, cefamandole, cefazolin, and cephalexin were stable for at least 30 days at -10 degrees C, whereas cephaloridine lost 29% of its initial activity and cephaloglycin lost more than 50%. Cefamandole, cefazolin, and cephalexin could only be stored for 3 days at 4 degrees C without significant loss in activity, whereas cephalothin, cephaloridine, and cephaloglycin could be stored for only 1 day....
Horohov DW.The ultimate reason for better characterizing the immune response to infectious agents is the hope that this knowledge may lead to the development of better preventative or therapeutic measures. As more information becomes available, it becomes possible to incorporate these findings into the design of better vaccines and treatments. Likewise, attempts to either enhance or suppress specific helper T-cell responses may be required to control immunopathologic reactions. Although cytokine intervention in the clinical setting remains theoretic at this time, future manipulation based on the TH1/TH2 ...
Joonè CJ, Nolan MB, Bertschinger HJ, Schulman ML.A sequence of studies is reviewed that reported the domestic horse (Equus caballus) mare as an appropriate and accessible research platform for recording clinical and laboratory data post-immunisation with anti- GnRH and -zona pellucida (ZP) immunocontraceptive vaccines. Experience with a native porcine ZP (pZP) vaccine in African elephant (Loxodonta africana) cows highlighted needs for improving vaccine formulations and more clearly defining associated ovarian effects and safety profiles. Initially, the efficacy, reversibility and safety of the GnRH vaccine Improvac® in mares was demonstrate...